In the Morning
by k4gh
Summary: ['Sometimes they feel the tug and they tug back...'] NxM


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice

**In the Morning**

_A legend was told…_

_A legend about a red string_

_A red string that connects each person to their specified, "that person"_

_No matter how stretched nor tangled_

_The string would not break…_

_Until you find your way to each other…_

It was late in the night when Mikan Sakura decided it was time to head back to the dormitories to turn in. She massaged her aching arm, it was time for the Alice festival again and she had agreed to help with the late night preparations. The Tokoryuku-kei, special abilities class all agreed to present another RPG, only this time the theme was Alice in Wonderland. Mikan smiled to herself, it was fitting. They even received a bigger place to move around this time.

The halls of the middle school dormitory seemed like a dark, never-ending maze during the night. Mikan felt chills run down her spine as she continued her walk through.

"15 years of living and I'm still afraid of the dark," Mikan laughed nervously to herself as she squinted into the hall. She stopped walking just before a corner.

"Let's see… 2 more corners and I'm almost to my room!" Mikan happily whispered to herself. She needed a late night shower so badly.

Thump!

Mikan felt herself jump. Her body stiffened as she slowly turned her head. _Is it a ghost? _Mikan thought to herself as she stared, trying to get a better look. Despite the darkness Mikan could make out a slumped over figure. "A g-ghost…? Masaka… ghosts float! They don't lay on the ground doing nothing!" Mikan shuddered as she continued to stare, waiting for any further moment. _I think I better get back to my room… _Mikan thought to herself as she turned around, she took a few steps forward and then hesitated. Looking back at the slumped figure she swallowed and found herself stepping closer to the shadowy stranger.

* * *

"Crap…" Hyuuga Natsume cursed under his breath as a sudden jolt of pain ran across his thigh. Clutching his bleeding leg, he leaned on the wall for support as he continued his slow and painful trek back to his dorm room.

Natsume had been out on a mission again. He was sent to wipe out a mafia group who owed much money to the Academy. They failed to pay, they were gotten rid of. He sabotaged their hideout like how he usually did, hiding in the shadows waiting for everybody's guard to let down and when it does, he jumps out and shoots fireballs here and there. And every time he did, he came out unscathed. Only this time, he made it out with an injured leg and a broken arm.

Apparently the mafia knew he was coming and set up a few counter measures. And thus he received his bleeding prize and a useless broken left arm instead of the usual coming out unscathed.

Natsume gritted his teeth as he pushed himself to his feet, feeling the slight sting of his wound from pushing his injured leg too far. _Just a few more steps_… He thought to himself as he continued to limp his way through the dimmed hallway, stopping only to catch his breath. Another sudden jolt of pain though, caused him to fall over again. This time though the immense pain was coming from his side. Squinting to get a better look, Natsume managed to see it from the corner of his eyes, his side was a bloody mess. "Shit," Natsume cursed again as he fished out his handkerchief and pressed it to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, "When the hell did I get this?" He hissed to himself as the pain continued to grow immensely.

"Damn it…"

"I'm going to bleed to death at this rate," Natsume's half open eyes narrowed as he groggily stood up, leaning on the wall again for support. Bringing his right leg forward to start walking, his vision blurred and he fell back onto the floor, his eyes slowly fluttering to a close.

* * *

"_Onii-chan!"_

"_Onii-chan do you know about the legend?"_

_Natsume turned to his younger sister, an eyebrow raised, "Legend? What legend?"_

_Aoi smiled, examining her raised pinky, "The legend of the red string!" She announced excitedly._

_Natsume rolled his eyes. The girl is eight, He said to himself, its natural for her to believe in such nonsense, "Legends are stupid," He answered flatly._

_Aoi puffed her cheeks in fake irritation and gave him a soft smack on his cheek. "Mou… it's okay if you don't believe it! I'll believe it anyways!"_

_There was silence for a moment. Natsume stared at his younger sister who was pulling on some imaginary string a few inches from her pinky. He narrowed his eyes as he looked on, "What are you doing this time?"_

_Aoi stuck out her tongue at him and went back to her finger. After a few pulls here and there she spoke, "I'm pulling on the string!"_

_Natsume stared at her as if she had grown two heads. What a dense girl. Believing in such impossible legends… He shifted his sitting position. "Fine, just continue to blab about non-existent stuff,"_

_Aoi ignored his comment and turned to watch the setting sun, "Dad told me about it yesterday!"_

"_You know about the legend of the red string right?" Aoi asked without turning around, she raised her finger higher. "He told me, 'If you ever feel lonely, or if you're ever in pain just give the string a tug,'" She demonstrated as she spoke, raising her other hand to pull the empty space inches from her pinky. She turned to her brother._

"'_Sometimes _they_ feel the tug and tug back," Aoi finished with a smile._

* * *

Natsume's weary eyes fluttered open. Looking around him, he found he was still in the same place. "Crap… if… I… was a normal person… I… would've died because of all the blood… I've lost," He managed between breaths. He cursed reaching for his bloody handkerchief. "N-normal…"

_You're not just any normal person Natsume…_

Shut up…

_You're special… you have the alice of fire…_

Stop it…

_You have the most powerful talent of them all…_

He didn't want this. He never wanted this. If he didn't have this alice he would have never been sent to stay here. He would've stayed home with his family and had lived a normal life. He wouldn't be in this much pain right now. He would still be together with Aoi.

Aoi…

'_So if you ever feel lonely or if you're ever in pain…_

It hurts so much…

_Just give the string a tug…,'_

Aoi… Aoi… Aoi…

_There are people who care for you waiting back at the academy!_

Mi… Mikan…

'_Sometimes _they_ feel the tug… and _they_… tug back,'_

Why do I see you…?

Natsume chuckled to himself. He felt his good arm reach for his injured one. He watched from the corner of his eyes as his body seemed to move all on its own. Slowly he raised his left hand's pinky finger, "Might as well give the gods… something to laugh about…" He whispered to himself.

And… he tugged.

* * *

"Natsu…me?"

He could barely make it out. A blurry face, auburn eyes filling up and then overflowing, a soft but worried voice.

"Natsume are you alright?"

The image seemed to grow clearer and clearer. The figure had chestnut colored hair.

"Why did you head straight back here? You should've gone to the hospital!"

Somebody was shaking him.

"Idiot!"

Mi—

"—kan…"

Mikan seemed to jump at the sound of her name being called. "Natsume? Thank God you're awake! Come on we have to take you to the hospital!" She pushed, pulling his good arm and putting it over her small shoulders. "Natsume move it!"

"Stupid girl…"

"T-this… is nothing…" Natsume muttered resting his head on her shoulder, inhaling her orange scent. "I'll be okay… I'll be fine…" He insisted as he clutched on to her tighter. They both fell back to the ground.

"Na-natsume we have to go!" Mikan panicked, eyeing his bleeding side. "We have to get you treated!"

"Don't worry so much you idiot…" He managed in one breath. Using his now free right hand he hugged her to him. "Shut up and just stay still… I'll let you take me to the hospital… later…" He allowed his weary eyes to close as he felt Mikan's small hands on his back.

"I'll be fine in the morning…"

**End.**

**A/N: **Muahahah… I imagine you people with raised eyebrows right about now. Haha… it was kinda confusing no? Not to mention the ending seemed kinda rushed… I don't know what came over me! It just came out that way! So well… I hope you guys liked it (even though it was helluva confusing)! Reviews will be appreciated :)


End file.
